Rhea POVHours later, my cheeks already ached from smiling, and my stomach hurt from eating so much that there was literally no room left for anything else.The market had completely transformed once night fell, and the crowd from earlier had thinned out a little.We found a small wooden bridge arching over a narrow creek, tucked away from the noise and bright lights. The water moved slowly beneath us, reflecting broken fragments of stars across the dark ripples.Kale leaned against the railing beside me, a half-eaten pastry forgotten in his hand.“You’ve been quiet,” he observed.“I’m tired,” I admitted, even though that wasn’t the whole truth.The truth was, I didn’t want the night to end. Out here, away from everything, I had almost forgotten about the bruises hidden beneath my scarf.And more importantly, the man who had put them there.Almost.“Ahh… this place is so nice,” I sighed, clutching the shawl tighter around my shoulders.“I knew you would like it,” Kale replied softly.
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